''Ithycyphus miniatus'' is a
species
In biology, a species is the basic unit of classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate s ...
of
venomous snake
Venomous snakes are Species (biology), species of the Suborder (biology), suborder Snake, Serpentes that are capable of producing Snake venom, venom, which they use for killing prey, for defense, and to assist with digestion of their prey. The v ...
in the
family
Family (from la, familia) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its ...
Pseudoxyrhophiidae
The Pseudoxyrhophiidae is a family of elapoid snakes, found mostly in Madagascar. They were formerly placed as a subfamily of the Lamprophiidae, but have been more recently identified as a distinct family.
It contains about 22 genera in two s ...
. The species is native to
Madagascar
Madagascar (; mg, Madagasikara, ), officially the Republic of Madagascar ( mg, Repoblikan'i Madagasikara, links=no, ; french: République de Madagascar), is an island country in the Indian Ocean, approximately off the coast of East Africa ...
.
[
]
Venom
''I. miniatus'' is calm and reluctant to bite, but has a venom capable of causing severe pain and extensive bleeding in humans.
Behavior and diet
''I. miniatus'' is small and nocturnal and preys on grey mouse lemur
The gray mouse lemur (''Microcebus murinus''), grey mouse lemur or lesser mouse lemur, is a small lemur, a type of strepsirrhine primate, found only on the island of Madagascar. Weighing , it is the largest of the mouse lemurs (genus ''Microceb ...
s and other small mammal
Mammals () are a group of vertebrate animals constituting the class Mammalia (), characterized by the presence of mammary glands which in females produce milk for feeding (nursing) their young, a neocortex (a region of the brain), fur or ...
s.[Mori A, Mizuta T (2006). "Envenomation by the Madagascan colubrid snake, ''Ithycyphus miniatus''". ''Journal of Venomous Animals and Toxins including Tropical Diseases'' 12: 512-520.](_blank)
/ref>
In local folklore
The common name of ''I. miniatus'' in Malagasy is ''fandrefiala'', and it is greatly feared by many rural people of Madagascar, who believe it is able to hypnotize humans with its gaze.
Taxonomy
''I. miniatus'' was originally described and named by Hermann Schlegel
Hermann Schlegel (10 June 1804 – 17 January 1884) was a German ornithologist, herpetologist and ichthyologist.
Early life and education
Schlegel was born at Altenburg, the son of a brassfounder. His father collected butterflies, which stimula ...
in 1837.[ Schlegel H (1837). ''Essai sur la physionomie des serpens. Partie Générale:'' xxviii + 251 pp. + ''Partie Descriptive:'' 606 + xvi pp. Amsterdam: M.H. Schonekat. (''Coluber miniatus'', new species, pp. 148-149 of ''Partie Descriptive''). (in French).]
References
Further reading
* Boulenger GA (1896). ''Catalogue of the Snakes in the British Museum (Natural History). Volume III., Containing the Colubridæ (Opisthoglyphæ and Proteroglyphæ), ...'' London: Trustees of the British Museum (Natural History). (Taylor and Francis, printers). xiv + 727 pp. + Plates I-XXV. (''Ithycyphus miniatus'', p. 35).
* Duméril AMC, Bibron G, Duméril AHA (1854). ''Erpétologie générale ou histoire naturelle complète des reptiles. Tome septième. Deuxième partie. Comprenant l'histoire des serpents venimeux.'' Paris: Roret. xii + pp. 781–1536. (''Dryophylax miniatus'', p. 1120). (in French).
* Glaw F, Vences M (2006). ''A Field Guide to the Amphibians and Reptiles of Madagascar: Third Edition''. Cologne, Germany: Vences & Glaw Verlag. 496 pp. .
*Jan G
Jan, JaN or JAN may refer to:
Acronyms
* Jackson, Mississippi (Amtrak station), US, Amtrak station code JAN
* Jackson-Evers International Airport, Mississippi, US, IATA code
* Jabhat al-Nusra (JaN), a Syrian militant group
* Japanese Article Numb ...
(1863). ''Elenco sistematico degli ofidi descritti e disegnati per l'iconografia generale''. Milan: A. Lombardi. vii + 143 pp. (''Philodryas miniatus'', p. 84). (in Italian
Italian(s) may refer to:
* Anything of, from, or related to the people of Italy over the centuries
** Italians, an ethnic group or simply a citizen of the Italian Republic or Italian Kingdom
** Italian language, a Romance language
*** Regional Ita ...
).
{{Taxonbar, from=Q3013325
Pseudoxyrhophiidae
Reptiles of Madagascar
Taxa named by Hermann Schlegel
Reptiles described in 1867